Evangel alumni invest in entrepreneurship

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Evangel alumni, Marc Dobberstein and J. Adam Dobberstein from Pewaukee, Wisc., have provided a new scholarship to promote entrepreneurship development at Evangel University.

As a result, the Evangel University Business Department has awarded a pair of $500 Entrepreneurship Scholarships this fall to students in recognition of their plans to develop new businesses.

The recipients are Olivia Gorman, senior marketing major from Springfield, Mo., and Austin Beshuk, a senior management major from Jefferson City, Mo.

“Our family is delighted to find a way to work with the EU Business Department and find a meaningful way to help students spark their interest in entrepreneurship,” said Marc Dobberstein, who is now an attorney.

“We intend to continue provide funding for this opportunity in the future.”

Evangel’s uniquely designed entrepreneurship course was developed and launched in the spring 2015 by business professor Eveline Lewis and adjunct business professor Hona Amer, with a $5,000 grant from the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty.

“This additional funding for special scholarships provides inspiration and encouragement to our students, who may enroll in the entrepreneurship course from any major,” said Lewis.

Integrating EU entrepreneurship & 1 Million Cups

Gorman and Beshuk were part of a spring semester entrepreneurship course at Evangel which provides instruction and projects related to business creation.

The 1 Million Cups program was birthed by the Kaufman Foundation to educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs, and is now active in more than 80 cities.

• Olivia Gorman developed a business plan to develop a nonprofit boarding facility that provides a high-end boarding option for dog and cat owners who have a higher level of disposable income.

The facility will also include a full service cat and dog shelter to care for cats or dogs that have not yet found their forever home.

“I am excited about the opportunity to develop this business, because I have always had a love for animals and sense that God wants me to care for his creation,” said Gorman.

• Austin Beshuk plans to develop a new and unique Polish restaurant to increase the Slavic influence on the diverse mix of dining opportunities that currently exist.

His plan is to start with a food truck and evolve into the restaurant. Meal prices would range between $10-$15 and the business would include catering. Beshuk’s great grandparents came from Poland and the Ukraine.

“I have a passion for this business, because my family would make lots and lots of Polish food when I was growing up, and I was always excited to eat it,” said Beshuk.

The integration of Evangel’s course with the 1 Million Cups program was important to both students.

“1 Million Cups was a great way to see how entrepreneurship impacted the community and just how broad the pool of ideas for various businesses was and is today,” said Beshuk.

The Dobberstein Entrepreneurship Scholarship has encouraged the students to pursue their dreams.

“This scholarship helped take some weight off my financial burden. It meant a lot to know that someone else was willing to invest and encourage me to pursue my entrepreneurial dream,” said Gorman.

Evangel University, which includes the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), is a comprehensive Christian university committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to serve the church and society globally. Evangel serves more than 2,100 students from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries, offering 65 undergraduate majors and 17 master’s and doctoral degrees.